Card holder



M. MEYERSON CARD HOLDER Filed Nov.

Dec. 6, 1938.,

INSURED PJ. NUMGl-R FOR STAMPS ONLY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in card holders of the type used on packages, containers and the like. These card holders are preferably made of metal and comprise a frame structure which is recessed to suitably retain a card bearing the forwarding address on one side and if so pre ferred, a returning address on the other, so that the same card may be used for mailing and remailing the package from and to the same parties.

To prevent a removal of the card by an unauthorized person, a suitable locking means is provided which permits its release only at a time when the container or package is opened, being accessible from the interior only. A card holder of this type is shown and described in my Patent 1,619,827, March 8, 1927.

The present invention which is an improvement over the patented card holder, has for one of its objects to provide a card holder adapted for entering two cards, held separated in the holder; so that one of the cards insertable into the holder will be for the address or addresses required for mailing, while the other insertable card will be used for attaching the mail stamp thereon and for receiving the ink stamp and record of the post office.

It is evident that by the use of two separate cards, the address card will not be mutilated by the cancelling ink stamp of the post office, so that the sender need not be required to rewrite an address card, whenever a package or box is mailed back and forth a number of times from and to the same parties.

Before remailing the package, the sender will merely take out the address card and insert it reversed, showing the other addrass thereon. This will save the time and bother of writing a new card. As to the other card which is used for postage stamps only, the sender will either reverse the card or insert a blank strip of card board or paper into the card holder compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanical arrangement for locking the card retaining bar or lever, and to provide a simple device for effectively releasing this bar, whenever the cards have to be removed from the card holder.

These and other objects, to be pointed out in the specification and the accompanying claims, I attain by the cardholder shown in the attached drawing, of which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box, retaining on its top surface an improved card holder.

Fig. 2 illustrates a top view of my improved card holder.

Fig. 3 is a sectional front view of the lock device, on line 33, Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a sectional side View of a joint on line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of the mounted card holder on line 5-5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional front view of a catch on line 6-6, Fig. 2.

The improved card holder, shown in Fig. 2, comprises a body member l0, made of a U-shaped metal part H and an L-shaped metal part [2. Both parts are joined and connected to each other by means of a tongue l3, extending from the short arm 14 of part I2 and protruding into a suitable recess IE on the lower surface of the short arm I6 of part II. Tongue l3 and part H are joined and secured to each other and to the outer surface of the box cover H of box l8, by a rivet l9, Fig. 4, or by other suitable means.

The two long arms or bars 20 and 2| of part I and the long arm or bar 22 of part |2, are pro-- vided with holes 23 for securing means such as rivets for rigidly securing these parts to the cover ll of the container. The two parts H and I2 thus joined, form an E-shaped frame structure or body member Ill, comprising two openings or compartments, of which their inner edges 24 are recessed to provide each a guideway for an address card 25, insertable between arms 20 and 2| and a postage stamp card 26 insertable between arms 2| and 22.

To prevent these cards from slipping out of the holder, a card retaining bar or lever 21 is provided which is hinged in a suitable manner to arm 2!] and which under normal conditions connects with arms 2| and 22 and covers the otherwise exposed edges of the cards by the recess 28 on said retaining bar.

The address card in the upper compartment maybe covered with a Celluloid or other transparent sheet to protect it from rain or other extraneous injury. This, however, is preferably confined to the address card because it is necessary to leave the other card in the lower compartment which is adapted to receive the post marks and the stamps, without any covering so that the stamps can be cancelled or the marks applied.

The middle portion of this bar 27 is held to the middle arm 2| by a snap member 29, engaging the recess 28 and forming an integral part with the arm 2|.

The end portion of bar 21 is provided with a hole 30 for engaging a latch 3|, held on a fiat,

stiff spring 32, which is secured to the inner surface of a cavity or housing part 33 of bar 22. On top of the latch 3| is secured a knob 34, ex tending into an opening of the wall of housing part 33 and serving the purpose to provide a means for releasing the latch from the hinged bar 2?, whenever the lock member 35, shiftably held to the box cover [1, is displaced from underneath the latch 3|.

Since the lock member 35 is held to the inner surface of the box cover l1, it is quite evident, that the hinged bar 21 can not be moved out of its normal or closed position until the box or container 18 has been opened and the lock member 35 been shifted. Therefore neither one of the cards can be removed from the holder until the box has reached its destination and is opened by the party receiving it.

The invention thus provides a greater convenience, by preventing the address card from being mutilated and soiled by ink stamps and it furthermore provides an effective and simplified means whereby to maintain the hinged cardretaining bar 21' positively locked, While the box or package remains closed.

While various changes in detail may be mad on this improved card holder, without however departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a container wall, of a card holder mounted thereon comprising a frame structure of which its main body has three bars arranged in an E-shaped formation, adapted to visibly retain therebetween a card each; a snap member at the end portion of the middle bar of said structure, a closing bar hinged to the end portion of one of said outer bars and adapted to be held by said snap member when located in closed position and means for positively locking the free end part of said hinged bar in said closing position.

2. A card holder attachable to the surface of a package and the like and comprising a frame structure consisting of a U-shaped part and an L-shaped part connected to each other to form an E-shaped main body having two compartments adapted to visibly retain therein a card each, and a bar hinged to said main body and adapted to simultaneously open and close both said compartments.

3. The combination with a container wall, of a card holder mounted thereon and comprising a frame structure consisting of a U-shaped part and an L-shaped part connectable to each other to form an E-shaped main body having two compartments adapted to visibly retain therein a card each, a bar, hinged to said main body for simultaneously opening and closing both said compartments, a snap device on said main body for holding said hinged bar in closing position at its middle portion and means on said main body for locking said bar at its free end portion.

4. In a card holder of the character described, a frame structure mounted to the wall of a package and a card retaining bar hinged to said frame structure, means for locking the free end portion of said bar to said frame structure, said locking means comprising a flexible latch device partly exposed to the outside for an operation thereof and fast to said frame, a hole in the free end portion of said bar for engagement of said latch and a lock member for locking said latch, said lock member comprising a hinged lever adapted for preventing the opening of said latch except when the package is open and access may be had to the inside thereof.

MAX I YERSON. 

